Comet and Trident at Wroughton
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Cheshire, UK
Age: 60
Posts: 173
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What little money they manage to squeeze out of this useless government has to be balanced between patching up the buildings and preserving priceless artifacts for future generations.
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Dibley
Age: 61
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
They already try to charge a load of money to get in,incidentally the arranged tour only lets you into the one hangar deemed safe enough for the general public,on the plus side this is the one with most of the aircraft in but sadly not the comet or trident.
It does have N7777G a rarther beautiful connie in it though.
Even though i have done nothing but gripe about Wroughton i have no axe to grind with the Science museum they are afterall preserving our heritage i just find it hard to accept this fantastic collection is hidden away.
It does have N7777G a rarther beautiful connie in it though.
Even though i have done nothing but gripe about Wroughton i have no axe to grind with the Science museum they are afterall preserving our heritage i just find it hard to accept this fantastic collection is hidden away.
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Swindon, Wiltshire
Age: 74
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
£275 for any Group to visit one hangar is extortion in anyones language!
So only one hangar is safe enough for the public to visit, whilst the rest are liable to collapse at any minute destroying all those transport treasures?
The Goverment needs to do something here, but if they can't even get enough helicopters and equipment for Afghanistan, what hope is there?
So only one hangar is safe enough for the public to visit, whilst the rest are liable to collapse at any minute destroying all those transport treasures?
The Goverment needs to do something here, but if they can't even get enough helicopters and equipment for Afghanistan, what hope is there?
Move the a/c to Duxford ,appreciate some are the wrong genre for the IWM but at least they could be seen by the general public,& looked after by people who care.
Planemike
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Swindon, Wiltshire
Age: 74
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
At present the Wroughton collection is a collection of unrestored aircraft housed in hangars of which only one is accessable. Moving them to Duxford would not only make them all accessable and viewable, but also ensure they are restored and maintained. The DC-3 at Wroughton is a case in point. This particular aircraft is, I believe, one of the oldest survivors of its type and was the fifth aircraft delivered to United Airlines.
Together with the "Friends of the DC-3", an offer was made to fully restore this aircraft and repaint it in its original United Airlines colours, without any charge to the Science Museum whatsoever, other than the cost of the paint. They wouldn't even fund that!!! Their excuse was ' it's present livery is part of its history and that's how we want to keep it'.
I believe due to corrosion in the tail wheel mounting, this aircraft can't be moved anyway...so much for 'preservation'.
Together with the "Friends of the DC-3", an offer was made to fully restore this aircraft and repaint it in its original United Airlines colours, without any charge to the Science Museum whatsoever, other than the cost of the paint. They wouldn't even fund that!!! Their excuse was ' it's present livery is part of its history and that's how we want to keep it'.
I believe due to corrosion in the tail wheel mounting, this aircraft can't be moved anyway...so much for 'preservation'.
Yes fully understand what you are saying, just querying why the a/c need to go to Duxford, already have a good selection of a/c there. My feeling is that there should be a reasonable geographic distribution of a/c museums across the country.
Planemike
Planemike
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Swindon, Wiltshire
Age: 74
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I thought I had already explained that in my previous post? 
Simply because (a) all aircraft, including the airliners have been lovingly restored and repainted there and there are few museums that can say that.
(b) they have large undercover viewing facilities and are well organised, with regular air shows, daily takings and shops inside all helping to fund aircraft restoration.
(c) The American Air Museum there was built with the help of a £6.5 million lottery grant, so is recognised by all as a major and important collection.
On the other hand, the Science Museum in London is free, yet their Wroughton storage facility has no facilities for making money, but tries to extort exorbitant amounts for groups to visit one hangar to compensate!
The so-called 'state of the art' Museum that was slated for Wroughton has come to nothing as the lottery grant allocation was withdrawn.The government won't put any money into it, so those aircraft will just sit there til they rot!
Okay, I agree spread museums around the country, but let's have some consistency here. We have a museum that 'can' and a museum that 'can't!
Simply because (a) all aircraft, including the airliners have been lovingly restored and repainted there and there are few museums that can say that.(b) they have large undercover viewing facilities and are well organised, with regular air shows, daily takings and shops inside all helping to fund aircraft restoration.
(c) The American Air Museum there was built with the help of a £6.5 million lottery grant, so is recognised by all as a major and important collection.
On the other hand, the Science Museum in London is free, yet their Wroughton storage facility has no facilities for making money, but tries to extort exorbitant amounts for groups to visit one hangar to compensate!
The so-called 'state of the art' Museum that was slated for Wroughton has come to nothing as the lottery grant allocation was withdrawn.The government won't put any money into it, so those aircraft will just sit there til they rot!
Okay, I agree spread museums around the country, but let's have some consistency here. We have a museum that 'can' and a museum that 'can't!
There are at least half a dozen aircraft sitting outside at Duxford looking neglected, some more so than others. There is nowhere near enough room to keep all the current exhibits undercover, without lumbering them with several more large airframes.
There are at least half a dozen aircraft sitting outside at Duxford looking neglected, some more so than others. There is nowhere near enough room to keep all the current exhibits undercover, without lumbering them with several more large airframes.
The so-called 'state of the art' Museum that was slated for Wroughton has come to nothing as the lottery grant allocation was withdrawn.The government won't put any money into it, so those aircraft will just sit there til they rot!
One suspects that the Science Museum is run by a management that has "mind set" which believes unless it can provide a "gold plated" service, nothing can or should be done. As pointed out in earlier threads quite good levels of accessibliity were achieved in the 80s and early 90s. It is a question having the will and desire to do it.
By comparision look at what has been achieved at Newark on what will undoubtly have been a relatively modest budget.
Planemike
PS...... [quote] £275 for any Group to visit one hangar is extortion in anyones language! [quote]
Amos, certainly agree with you on this. A charge of this type comes from the "mind set" referred to above.
Last edited by Planemike; 12th Nov 2009 at 10:33.
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: East Sussex
Age: 68
Posts: 388
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Apart from Concorde, how many airliners in UK museums are under cover? the Dan Air Comet at Duxford (plus another Dan Air Comet at Wroughton).
I realise the size of the a/c involvedis a factor, but we do need a national airliner collection established to keep these treasures in good condition in under cover environmentally controlled conditions or it may be the Cosford massacre all over again.
I realise the size of the a/c involvedis a factor, but we do need a national airliner collection established to keep these treasures in good condition in under cover environmentally controlled conditions or it may be the Cosford massacre all over again.
The Viscount (most of the time) and York are under cover at Duxford. However, as has been said, some of the other airliners are starting to look very "tired", the 1-11 in particular. I believe DAS were offered an ATP but declined it as they have enough on their plate with the existing airframes.
Depends if you count a Hermes without wings and undercarriage, and a Ju52 as airliners. Wroughton probably has the best count of airliners under cover, in addition to those mentioned in previous posts there is the DC3, Boeing 247, Rapide and Dove. A national airliner museum (indoors) would be truly wonderful.
Planemike
Planemike
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Swindon, Wilts,UK
Posts: 567
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
First off I must stand up for the Guys and Gals that work at Wroughton. Having meet a bunch of them when the PFA rally was held on the site and also when I was on a stand for the Wiltshire Flyers at the centenary of flight event.
The problem is Kensington who for years have treated Wroughton like a gulag archipelago.
Have a search for Creative planet that's when NMSI suddenly started to take interest in green matters and thence Wroughton or rather the grant money for going green.
It's a disgrace that so many of the items there which are real gems cannot be exhibited properly. There are plans afoot to increase the display area but there are issues with the lack of funding to carry it through.
Ross Sharp's a real character, an oppo and myself had a memorable lift airside to the tower in his Granada. It was the year of the really wet rally and the part of the trip going sideways over the grass was fascinating!
The problem is Kensington who for years have treated Wroughton like a gulag archipelago.
Have a search for Creative planet that's when NMSI suddenly started to take interest in green matters and thence Wroughton or rather the grant money for going green.
It's a disgrace that so many of the items there which are real gems cannot be exhibited properly. There are plans afoot to increase the display area but there are issues with the lack of funding to carry it through.
Ross Sharp's a real character, an oppo and myself had a memorable lift airside to the tower in his Granada. It was the year of the really wet rally and the part of the trip going sideways over the grass was fascinating!
Last edited by Windy Militant; 18th Nov 2009 at 19:30. Reason: Add picture
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
They should let me look after G-AWZM.......she would get the care and attention she deserves,my CV for G-AWZK should do the trick? even though i was made redundant at the AVP in Feb 09 and not allowed on site to check on my baby!!!
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Manchester, UK
Age: 66
Posts: 332
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I know this is an old thread, but I've only just come across it.
Anyway, twelve years ago, I was fortunate enough to pay a visit to Wroughton. This was in the days when it was easy and free to do so: I simply rang them up, they told me to come along at 10.00 on a Tuesday I think it was, I did so and duly got a personal guided tour (with about five other people) of the whole facility. I photographed nearly all the aircraft there and here is a link to most of these: Wroughton, 7th July 2000 - a set on Flickr
Anyway, twelve years ago, I was fortunate enough to pay a visit to Wroughton. This was in the days when it was easy and free to do so: I simply rang them up, they told me to come along at 10.00 on a Tuesday I think it was, I did so and duly got a personal guided tour (with about five other people) of the whole facility. I photographed nearly all the aircraft there and here is a link to most of these: Wroughton, 7th July 2000 - a set on Flickr
I've flown in that Devon! Farnborough - Bedford and return for my first day visit after I was posted to Farnborough.
In the days when military aircraft had 5 letter 'registrations' for flying overseas, VP975 was allocated MPDXM hence the 'M' on the fin. All of RAE Farnborough's fleet had one of these registrations starting 'MPDX_' although some were rarely used if ever, with Dakota ZA947 (previously KG661) being allocated MPDXY, Comet XV914 was MPDXA and BAC 1-11 XX919 was MPDXF.
They fell into disuse when RAE was allocated the official ICAO 3 letter designator 'RAE' callsign 'Nugget'.
The only exception as far as I recall was the MRF Hercules which was allocated a Lyneham 'registration' and I have to say I cannot remember what it was!
Nowadays of course, 'M' registrations indicate Isle of Man registry not military!!
In the days when military aircraft had 5 letter 'registrations' for flying overseas, VP975 was allocated MPDXM hence the 'M' on the fin. All of RAE Farnborough's fleet had one of these registrations starting 'MPDX_' although some were rarely used if ever, with Dakota ZA947 (previously KG661) being allocated MPDXY, Comet XV914 was MPDXA and BAC 1-11 XX919 was MPDXF.
They fell into disuse when RAE was allocated the official ICAO 3 letter designator 'RAE' callsign 'Nugget'.
The only exception as far as I recall was the MRF Hercules which was allocated a Lyneham 'registration' and I have to say I cannot remember what it was!
Nowadays of course, 'M' registrations indicate Isle of Man registry not military!!
Last edited by chevvron; 22nd Oct 2012 at 04:41.
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: UK
Posts: 3,325
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I flew into a PFA rally some years ago and was amazed at the contents of the hangars (all open, no charge IIRC). Couldn't the Science Museum organise some volunteers to run weekend open days? If I lived near I'd be up for it!